is a Japanese racing driver. Sakurai raced under Filipino license in Formula BMW Pacific and in the

GP3 Series The GP3 Series, or GP3 for short, was a single-seater motor racing series launched in 2010 as a feeder series for the GP2 Series, introduced by GP2 organiser Bruno Michel. GP3 followed the entire European leg of the Formula One series and th ...

Career

Karting

Sakurai began his racing career in karting at the age of nine and raced in Japan and Australia.

Formula BMW Pacific

In 2010, Sakurai graduated to single–seaters into the Formula BMW Pacific series in Asia, joining Eurasia Motorsport and racing under a Filipino racing licence. He scored a podium in the second race of the opening round at Sepang and achieved seven more point-scoring finishes on his way to eighth in the championship.

Toyota Racing Series

Sakurai participated in the

Toyota Racing Series The Formula Regional Oceania Championship is New Zealand's premier formula racing category. The series includes races for every major trophy in New Zealand circuit racing including the New Zealand Motor Cup and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. ...

in early 2011 with M2 Competition, finishing fourteenth in the championship, the lowest-placed of the International Trophy drivers to contest the series.

Formula Three

In 2011, Sakurai decided to race in Europe, taking part in the rebranded Rookie Class of the

British Formula 3 Championship The British Formula Three Championship was an international motor racing series that took place primarily in the United Kingdom with a small number of events in mainland Europe. It was a junior-level feeder formula that used small single seat ...

with

Hitech Racing Hitech Grand Prix (formerly known as Hitech Racing) is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle. The team started racing in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2003. The team also competed in the So ...

. Bart Hylkema was his only class rival in the first half of the championship, before he graduated to the International Class, allowing Sakurai to take the championship title. During the season he also appeared in the

Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit in West Kingsdown, Kent, England, United Kingdom. Originally used as a grasstrack motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently host ...

round of the European F3 Open Championship.

GP3 Series

Sakurai raced in the

in 2012 with Status Grand Prix.

Racing record

Career summary

Complete GP3 Series results

( key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sakurai, Kotaro 1994 births Living people People from Tokyo Japanese racing drivers Formula BMW Pacific drivers Toyota Racing Series drivers British Formula Three Championship drivers Euroformula Open Championship drivers GP3 Series drivers Auto GP drivers Formula 4 drivers MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship drivers MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship seasons Hitech Grand Prix drivers M2 Competition drivers Team West-Tec drivers Status Grand Prix drivers Euronova Racing drivers Eurasia Motorsport drivers